The Effect of Tongue Cleaning in Periodontitis Patients

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Status and phase: Completed; Early Phase 1

Conditions: Periodontitis; Tongue Coating

Treatments: Device: Toothbrush; Device: Tongue scraper

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02764060

s54161

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study was to examine in periodontitis patients with visible tongue coating the changes in microbial load (aerobic and anaerobic) of the 14 day use of a tongue scraper versus the use of a regular toothbrush to clean the tongue.

Full description

Volatile sulphur compounds (VSC's) are the most important causes of bad breath. Since the micro-organisms that produce VSC's are also periodopathogens, intuitively, one would think that there is a positive correlation between VSC levels in exhaled breath and periodontitis. However, not all periodontitis patients have bad breath. A possible explanation can be a positive relationship between tongue coating an bad breath. In the past, tongue cleaning was already researched in an oral healthy population. This research aimed to examine in periodontitis patients with visible tongue coating the changes in microbial load (aerobic and anaerobic) of the 14 day use of a tongue scraper versus the use of a regular toothbrush to clean the tongue. Additionally changes in tongue coating; and patient perception about tongue cleaning was researched.

Enrollment: 18 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• systemically healthy patients
• periodontitis patients

Exclusion criteria

• already using a tongue cleaning device
• use of antibiotics the previous 6 months
• rinsing with a chlorhexidine mouth rinse the past month
• smokers
• patients who underwent periodontal therapy the past three years were not included.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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18 participants in 2 patient groups

Tongue scraper

Experimental group

Description:

In this group the subjects are explained how to use a plastic loop-formed tongue cleaner (Halita® tongue cleaner (Dentaid, Spain)) to clean their tongues.

Treatment:

Device: Tongue scraper

Toothbrush

Experimental group

Description:

In this group the subjects are explained how to use a toothbrush (Oral-B® Indicator® medium tooth brush) to clean their tongues.

Treatment:

Device: Toothbrush